The craft beer scene is literally exploding in the US. According to the Brewers Association, microbreweries are opening at a rate of 5 per week, most having 15 beers in their annual portfolio with countless experimental brews being released throughout the year.

Likewise, craft beer focused bars and larger liquor stores are experiencing increased demand for the craft brews they have on their rotating taps. According to Fanfare Mobile CEO Michael Vincent, "With rotating taps, a particular beer - say it's Stone Brewing Company's Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale - might only show up in the local beer emporium every few months. When it does, fans of that beer want to know the moment it goes on tap so that they can taste a glass of their favorite brew or fill a growler to take home. Consider the even greater frenzy created by once a year releases, like Kalamazoo, Michigan based Bell's Brewing's Hopslam. Some of these smaller beer kegs contain as little as 40 glasses of beer, so time is of the essence for the craft beer connoisseur. Seeing the news of that special beer in a Tweet or Facebook post even a few hours later could mean a missed opportunity."

What, then, is the busy craft beer aficionado to do when it comes to knowing exactly where and when their favorite beers, or ones they want to try, are on tap?

Enter Craft Beer Alerts from Fanfare Mobile. These targeted alerts allow the craft beer fan to opt-in to their favorite styles, breweries or specific beers at their favorite business. When the beer they're interested in is available, they receive a message on their mobile phone. Alerts can be scheduled to go out at 4 p.m., for example, inviting the customer to stop in on their way home from work.

Bars, breweries and liquor stores can target messages based on specific interests, while also getting the secondary benefit of learning which beers are most popular with their customers - almost like a hidden survey. The service, based on SMS text messaging, is compatible with 99% of the phones on the market today, while other craft beer apps are limited to approximately 50% of the market and also require a separate download. Businesses large and small in almost every industry are realizing the value of text message marketing, and craft beer is no exception. SMS was used recently by the nation's most recognizable craft brewery, Samuel Adams. On their beer coasters, they asked fans to text "BREWER" to the designated short code for a chance to be a brewer for the day at their Boston brewery.